Ross Lyons Joins Uddingston from East Kilbride

Former Scotland spinner, Ross Lyons, has joined Uddingston for the imminent 2017 campaign.

Ross Lyons, the 32-year-old ex-Saltire was one of the country’s most prolific performers with both bat and ball for East Kilbride last year, often proving the catalyst for his side’s improved fortunes on the domestic stage.

And another former Scotland star, Paul Hoffmann, who has just returned from his native Australia to take up a teaching post at Clyde Valley High, told CricIndex he hoped the Scotland selectors hadn’t shut the door on picking Lyons.

Hoffmann said: “It’s good news Ross has joined Uddingston. He has matured into a very canny spinner and a destructive batsmen and he loves his cricket.

“I just hope Scotland haven’t written him off.”

Lyons made his international debut in 2006 and quickly proved himself to be a richly talented performer during his 61 Scotland appearances.

But he struggled to combine the responsibilities of his day job in the retail sector with the increasing demands of Associate cricket and hasn’t represented his country since 2010 – effectively retiring at 26!

Hoffmann, one of the members of the Scotland side which won the ICC Trophy in 2005, is now 47, but confirmed he still has plans to pull on the whites again this summer.

He said: “I’m not sure how many games I’ll manage, but I’ll play as often as I can.

“My shoulder is still a problem, so I will just have to see how it goes.

“Perhaps I will just go in there as a specialist slogger!”

He has already proved himself adept in that role, and Uddingston have also been bolstered by the arrival of their overseas amateur, Riley McGuire, from Australia.

As Hoffmann said: “He’s also from Rockhampton and I’m good mates with his dad, whom I worked with at North Rockhampton State High.

“Riley’s a promising all-rounder, he only touched down in Scotland on Friday, but he is somebody to look out for!”